Hotel Rewards, Without the Commitment

Adam Baer is a contributing editor at Inc. A widely published writer, he's worked as a New York Times tech-section regular, an NPR cultural producer, and as Travel + Leisure's tech correspondent. He lives in Los Angeles.

Most hotel rewards programs limit you to one chain. A new program called Stash Hotel Rewards allows travelers to earn points at a variety of hotels. After signing up for a free Stash account online, members book rooms directly with a partner hotel -- providing the e-mail address associated with the Stash account -- and earn five points for every dollar spent. Stash lists current rates, in points, for its 83 partner hotels online. Once you earn enough to pay for a room, you book it on the Stash site. The best part? No blackout dates or expirations.